, 1887-06-17
LIFE OR DEATH.
The Terrible Alternative N W Pre-
scented to Charley rumble.
Tightening the Coils About a Rec.
Handed Murderer.
Some Fearfully Direct Testimony
Given in Court Yesterday.

Ou- tue stn OF Octooer, 1880, Cnas.
Trumble, then deputy sheriff at Lusk,
this county, shot and killed Chaa. Miley,
alias Red Bill, whom he had arrested two
days previously as a suspected horse thief.
The circumstances of the killing were es.
pecialIy ~aggravating, the officer having
horsewhipped and assaulted the prisoner
several times while in his custody Tor
Miley's refusal to divulge the whereabouts
of a camp of horsethieves of whose loca
ton he had, while intoxicated, claimed to
be coRnizant. As shown by the testimony,
Tumble stood within three feet of Mlley
when the shot was fired that ended Red
Bills career, and killed him for no other
apparent reason than the man failure TO
avow friendship to his prosecutor. The
tragedy occurred in what was then known
as Whittaker's tent saloon.
Alter sixty names had been drawn from
the jury box the following gentleman
were, al 3:l5 yesterday afternoon, selected
as the twelve qualified to render judgment
in the case of the Territory VS.. Chas.
Tumble, indicted for murder in the first
degree: w. A. Richards, Fl. B. Rice, w.
A. Whitcomb, Geo. Lyons. ID. d. Moore,
Ii. Harrington, Fl. II. II, lphenstine, Z
A Reed, d. G Grant, Thos. Magee, &
Lehman and FL. p. Button. Twenty four
witnesses were then called and sworn,
twenty being for the territory and four for
the defense.
H TESTIMONY.
o. p. Goodwin first testified. On the
evening of the 9Th he saw Trumble come
out Of a saloon and heard him say: I'm
kill the ----. anyway" Supposed
he referred to the murdered man.
Peter Sweeney swore that he had seen
the deceased at various times on the It'll,
sth and 9th of October, 1886. On the
nightof the 7th had met Tumble and the
prisoner about a mile from Lusk. The
deputy sheriff was on horseback, while
Miley was in a wagon with several other
men. Saw TrumUle take the prisoner
from the wagon and heard Miley receive
several lashe5 from a whip in the hands of
the officer. He expostulated with Trum-
Bile, asking him to delay the whipping
until the next day. Witness then vent
on to Lusk. Heard the shot fred in
Whittaker's tent saloon on the night of
the 9th, and on entering saw Miley on the
floor in a sitting position with his back
against the refrigerator. Noticed that the
wounded mans shirt was on fire and be-
lieved that the blaze was caused by the
close proximity of the murderer; also saw
Germs and Tumble while they we're at
tempting to escape.
Deputy Sheriff Jno. Owens was exam
ined Had known Miley as Red Bill"
before the %latter's arrival in Lusk. On
the evening heard Miley beg Trumble in
piteous tones not to whip him. Frank
Rood and another man were present and
the Incident occurred in the rear of Owens'
dance hall. Mlley asked the witness to
protect him. saying that he believed his
lite to be in danger. Owens spoke to
Trumble about his misconduct, when
Rood remarked: "Trumble is an officer;
don't interfere" Saw Tumble jerk his
prisoner and noticed hat Mlley's clothes
were badly disarranged. Was eating in
his room when he heard the shot fired.
At once armed himself and stepped into
the street where he saw Tumble and
Germs running away. Shouted Stop, or
l will shoot" Both men walked slowly
back and were arrested. Had heard
rumble say that he proposed to kill
Mlley. Knew that others had heard the
remark.
j. K. Calkins was examined. Knew
Tumble. Went with ten or twelve others
to look for the camp of horse thieves.
Rode in same wagon with Miley. Trumble
had requested him to lin the party. Saw
Trumble horsewhip the prisoner and per.
suaded him to desist and return to Lusk.
On the 9Th and 9th Trumble told witness
that he intended to kill Miley if the latter
didn't guide him to the hiding place OF
the thieves.
Cal. Carson saw deceased and Tumble
in Whittaker's saloon on the 9Th. Miley
was handcuffed and witness noticed that
his wrists were sore and bleeding. Trumble
talked insultingly to the man in his Gus
tody, and finally drew his revolver and
would have killed Miley then but for the
interference of witness, who stepped be
tween the two and said: For Christ's
sake Charley. what are you going to do ?"
Trumble refrained from violence. but
threatened to kill Carson.
Harry Walker, a cowboy, c~orroborated
Carson's testimony.
DIR. NJ. G. Martin went along to look
for the camp of the thieves. Saw Trum-
BILE horsewhip Milcy.
Wm Bushman saw Miley when he ar
rived on the 7th. Heard the prisoner tell
Owens that he believed Trumble would
kill him. Saw Trumble throw Miley on
the ground and heard him say: IN kill
n nL T--IIz a..